USB devices

Quick question: Does a USB device rely on the computer's processor for functions, or does it have its' own internal processing? (Like WinModems that use the processor instead of modem hardware to process data) ? Just curious ;-)

 

usb

Usb is powered by the CPU via the chipset. The new USB-2 requires the "brand new" chipsets to control the speed & the cpu responds

 

My mainboard is an AMD 761 chipset with Via 686B southbridge. Is this compatible with USB 2.0, or would I need a newer mainboard?

 

usb 2

Nope, but why buy a new mobo when the solution is PCI card.
PCI USB Version 2.0 Host Adapter, 2 Port, Data rate 1.5/12/480 Mbps 2Port external, 1 port internal, retail box SUPPORT WINDOWS 98/ME/2000/XP
(Part - SD-V2-3U)
$ 15 $10-11 INSURED Alpha International Business Inc.
800-933-5455
909-595-1668
Made by NEC

 

Exactly! That's what I'm driving at. I wanted to buy a USB 2.0 PCI card. I was just wondering if my mainboard is recent enough to handle it. And you say it is?

 

usb is 2. bee

Yep, the pci (good ones) have the ability to serve up to 4 ports w/auto stepdown to usb1. The speed here is from PCB circuit on the card itself, then thru the pci bus to the CPU rather then the chipset on mobo. Sorta like putting a hard drive on super I/O ATA/100 IDE controler on an old pio mode 2 mobo. What a diff

 

I gotta check and see if I have any free PCI slots left. They never give you enough PCI slots!